Voter ID News – Week Of June 8, 2020

We had our first “Super Tuesday” of the pandemic last week, with eight states and DC voting on June 2. All of those states except Indiana allowed any registered voters to vote by mail, and the turnout numbers show the strong preference voters have in these times to vote safely from home.

This week’s question:

If my state is a vote-by-mail state, either by statute or special order due to COVID-19, are there still in-person voting options? Do I need ID if I decide to vote by mail?

Answer:

Yes, you can still vote in person! Even the five states that are “all” vote-by-mail states have in-person voting options. Some voters need assistance and so must be able to go to the polls to obtain that help to cast their ballots. Other voters, such as those living on tribal lands, do not have reliable mail service (some don’t have traditional mailing addresses), and those voters also need to vote in person.

As for whether you need ID to vote by mail, that depends on your state’s law. Some states don’t require ID at all since they match signatures, while others require that you put the number of your ID on the request form or ballot. And some states require that you enclose a copy of your ID with your request form or ballot. Don’t have access to a copier?  VoteRiders can help! See our “Photocopy my ID” program for more details.

This week’s articles of note:

Why Is Voting By Mail (Suddenly) Controversial?  Here’s What You Need To Know” – this article explains what voting-by-mail is, which states offer it and why there’s so much buzz about it this year. Read more

Legislators seek to prevent access to emails, other documents in voter ID lawsuit” – this article provides a window into the status of one of the two NC court cases challenging the state’s voter ID law, which is currently under injunction and not in effect. Read Read more….

Electoral inequality for Native Americans detailed in expansive study” – this report details the many barriers that impact the ability of Native Americans to vote, including their often-limited ability to get the IDs they need. Read Read more….

Kansas AG to appeal voter ID registration law decision to Supreme Court” – Kansas’ Attorney General will appeal the federal appeals court ruling that struck down Kansas’ statute requiring first-time voters to provide documentary proof of their citizenship as part of the voter registration process.  Read more….